1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Blanch  \Blanch\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Blanched};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Blanching}.]  [OE.  blanchen,  blaunchen  F.  blanchir  fr 
  blanc  white.  See  {Blank},  a.] 
  1.  To  take  the  color  out  of  and  make  white;  to  bleach;  as 
  to  blanch  linen;  age  has  blanched  his  hair. 
 
  2.  (Gardening)  To  bleach  by  excluding  the  light,  as  the 
  stalks  or  leaves  of  plants,  by  earthing  them  up  or  tying 
  them  together. 
 
  3.  (Confectionery  &  Cookery) 
  a  To  make  white  by  removing  the  skin  of  as  by  scalding; 
  as  to  blanch  almonds. 
  b  To  whiten,  as  the  surface  of  meat,  by  plunging  into 
  boiling  water  and  afterwards  into  cold,  so  as  to 
  harden  the  surface  and  retain  the  juices. 
 
  4.  To  give  a  white  luster  to  (silver,  before  stamping,  in  the 
  process  of  coining.). 
 
  5.  To  cover  (sheet  iron)  with  a  coating  of  tin. 
 
  6.  Fig.:  To  whiten;  to  give  a  favorable  appearance  to  to 
  whitewash;  to  palliate. 
 
  Blanch  over  the  blackest  and  most  absurd  things 
  --Tillotson. 
 
  Syn:  To  {Blanch},  {Whiten}. 
 
  Usage:  To  whiten  is  the  generic  term,  denoting,  to  render 
  white;  as  to  whiten  the  walls  of  a  room  Usually 
  (though  not  of  necessity)  this  is  supposed  to  be  done 
  by  placing  some  white  coloring  matter  in  or  upon  the 
  surface  of  the  object  in  question.  To  blanch  is  to 
  whiten  by  the  removal  of  coloring  matter;  as  to 
  blanch  linen.  So  the  cheek  is  blanched  by  fear,  i.  e., 
  by  the  withdrawal  of  the  blood,  which  leaves  it  white. 

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